Survive the labyrinth with EX-grade traits

After successfully encountering and battling the Acid Slime, the party was now even more vigilant, keeping watch not only in front and behind but also above them, which made them feel even more exhausted as they continued their journey.

As they walked, they soon came across a fork in the road. They paused to consult their map, handing off the torch for a moment.

“This is a bit of a pickle. The path shouldn’t be branching out like this yet.”

They were aware that this was not an uncommon occurrence. They knew that in the middle layers, each time a portal opened, something new would be added or removed based on the terrain depicted on the map.

For example, new paths could lead to hidden treasure rooms or dangerous traps, or they might encounter rare species or unique monsters that only appeared once in a blue moon.

There were also places that appeared randomly, regardless of the layer, such as forgotten sanctuaries of forgotten gods or locations related to the remnants of the past. It was said that finding something in these places could be a life-changing opportunity, but such occurrences were incredibly rare.

Unless there was some artificial intervention, like when the Ephusio appeared and completely altered the terrain of the layer, the fork in the road was likely just a temporary deviation from the map, and the path would eventually reconnect.

The problem was that they had no idea what lay down each of the branching paths.

“Which way should we go? Right? Left? Or should we just keep going straight?”

It was a decision that required careful consideration, but they lacked sufficient information to make an informed choice. In situations like this, they decided to trust their luck, and more specifically, the instincts of Yeriel, who had the highest Luck stat and a natural Lucky trait.

“Yeriel, why don’t you choose one of the two paths?”

“Hmm… but…”

Yeriel hesitated, looking unsure.

“It’s no big deal. Whichever path we choose, we’ll still have to keep moving forward. You have the highest Luck-related stats and traits, so why not give it a shot?”

He shrugged and scratched his cheek.

“They say that in the labyrinth, luck is also a skill. Since we have to make a choice, why not test it out?”

“Alright, but if something bad happens, it’s not my fault, got it?”

“Of course. Don’t worry about it. Just choose whatever feels right. If it’s a trap or a monster, we can just break through it like we did before, right?”

Lumia, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.

“That’s true. And I can guarantee that if I choose, it won’t lead to a good outcome.”

While her words were true, he wondered why she was suddenly putting herself down.

Yeriel, looking flustered and rubbing her fingers together, finally nodded and pointed with her index finger.

She chose the path to the right.

“I just have a feeling that something might be down this way… but don’t take my word for it, it’s just a hunch!”

Something might be down this way.

“Alright, let’s not waste any time and get moving!”

Once a decision was made, they didn’t hesitate. They turned right and took their first steps down the new path.

.

.

.

They entered the right path and continued walking.

Splash.

“The water is getting deeper as we go. What could this mean?”

Was it because they were approaching the center of the area, or was it a sign of an impending monster encounter?

Whatever it was, he had a feeling that the situation would change drastically as soon as they encountered it.

Yeriel whispered softly.

“Ugh, it’s so damp. I can see why other adventurers prefer the Beast Zone, even with all the monsters.”

“It’s unnerving not knowing what’s out there. It makes me feel tired and discouraged.”

Lumia shook her head, her usually perky ears drooping, indicating the oppressive atmosphere was taking a toll on her.

“I wish something would just show up already.”

They had been walking for two or three hours without encountering anything.

As they had said, the dark and damp environment was taking a toll on their mental stamina, requiring them to stay alert and focused.

“If we make it to the shelter without any issues, that would be great. Let’s just keep pushing forward for a little while longer…”

Huh?

Suddenly, the path came to an abrupt end.

To be more precise, a massive stone door blocked their path.

Yeriel marveled at the door, running her eyes over its surface and looking up at its towering height.

“Wow, it’s huge! A door just appearing out of nowhere like this… something’s definitely up.”

Meanwhile, Lumia closed her eyes as soon as she saw the door.

She concentrated, her ears twitching as she listened intently.

“I can’t tell if it’s because there are no living creatures or if the space beyond the door has some kind of special property that blocks life energy. But I can’t sense anything.”

In any case, with the path ending here, they only had two options: open the door and enter, or turn back and return to the three-way junction.

“We should definitely go through the door. Who knows what’s down the other paths?”

“Alright, let’s go in.”

He took a deep breath in front of the massive stone door and placed his hand on it.

As he prepared to push the door open, a low rumbling sound filled the air, and the door began to open on its own.

The stone door only opened enough for one or two people to pass through, as if inviting only them to enter.

Even with the limited opening, they could see enough of the interior to get a sense of what lay beyond.

“There don’t seem to be any monsters, and there’s some kind of altar-like structure in the center… is that a treasure chest?”

He had expected the interior to be spacious, and he was not disappointed. However, the sight of a single large treasure chest sitting alone in the vast space seemed like an obvious trap.

He turned to the others and said,

“That chest might be a decoy, and if we approach it, a trap might be triggered or a monster might appear. Lumia, why don’t you summon one of your familiars to scout ahead?”

“Okay. Darkness, my servant. Come forth. …Hmm?”

“What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”

“For some reason, my familiars are refusing to be summoned. It’s like they’re afraid of something…”

He nodded and began to think.

That’s right! He rummaged through his backpack, looking for something to throw.

The Woodman’s Core. That should do the trick.

He took out the core and held it in his hand.

“If familiars won’t work, let’s try an inanimate object. I want to use this to check the area before we go in, but do you all agree to use the by-product?”

Although these things weren’t worth much during the distribution of rewards, it was still important to be clear about even the smallest details to avoid any potential conflicts or grudges later on.

Both Yeriel and Lumia nodded casually.

Alright, let’s start with the ground.

He rolled three round cores across the floor, each in a different direction, towards the treasure chest.

“There doesn’t seem to be any traps on the ground.”

He then threw the core he was holding with all his might.

Thud! Crunch.

“Damn it. Of course. Who in their right mind, not blinded by greed, would touch the chest as soon as they see it?”

As the core hit the chest, it instantly froze, and they could see it turning into ice.

One, two, three.

Crunch. Crack. Crunch.

“Huff!”

Despite the cores freezing one after another, he ignored it and continued throwing the rest.

Four. Five. Six.

Crack. Crunch. Thud!

Oh! The first five cores froze, but the sixth one just bounced off the chest without freezing.

What’s the principle behind this? Let’s think about it simply. Maybe it’s designed to freeze up to five targets because most parties consist of five members?

He tried throwing one more core, but it didn’t freeze anymore.

When he threw it towards the top of the chest, there was no reaction, indicating that further caution was unnecessary.

After swinging his arm with all his might, he slowly caught his breath.

“Sorry. I failed to summon, and now things are getting complicated.”

He cut her off before she could get too down about her failed magic casting.

“No, it’s not your fault. Don’t blame yourself.”

“Okay.”

He patted Lumia’s head and they all entered together.

It’s so spacious and empty.

That was the first thought that came to his mind as he stepped inside.

In the dark and silent cavern, there was only an altar-like structure made of ice-blue crystal, emitting a faint light.

“Hmm.”

On top of the square altar was a large treasure chest, proudly displaying its presence.

Yes, that was the same treasure chest they had hit several times with the Woodman’s core earlier.

Apart from that, there didn’t seem to be anything else worth noting.

Clunk! Grrr…

“Damn it. What now?”

He turned around at the sound of the door closing quickly.

He sighed.

Well, they weren’t planning on leaving anyway.

He slowly walked towards the altar.

“What’s this?”

There was an inscription on the altar that he had never seen before, but thanks to his Language trait, he was able to understand it immediately.

Let’s see.

‘Sacrifice, and you shall be granted a new life.’

This doesn’t sound good.

Anyway, nothing happened just by approaching the altar, and soon they were able to get a closer look at the treasure chest.

The exterior of the chest was as blue as if it were made of ice, and a cold aura emanated from within.

“Wow! I’ve never seen a treasure chest like this in the labyrinth before!”

“I wonder what’s inside?”

[Chaos is curious about the contents.]

‘We already solved one gimmick, but I wonder if there’s another one.’

He narrowed his eyes and focused all his attention on the chest.

That’s right! With Chaos’ Eye, he might be able to see something.

A blue line, as thick as his forearm, pierced through the ceiling and stretched endlessly upwards.

Connected to something…

[Luck smiles upon the user.]

“Krrr!”

“Ahren! heal with light!”

[The effect of the heal restores the injured area.]

“Nu, blood in the eye!”

Blood was flowing from his burst blood vessels, causing his eyes to tear up.

[Chaos asks what you just saw.]

‘Frozen land… and a white-haired figure in a raging snowstorm.’

Ugh. My head and eyes hurt so much. I should stop thinking about what I just saw.

He calmed down Yeriel, who was frantically casting healing spells, and Lumia, who was unusually pouting.

As he rubbed his sore eyelids, something happened.

“Ho, a mere mortal has glimpsed a fragment of memory.”

What the hell? Who is this?

“Not only is my altar connected to such a place, but I also encounter a human with such an interesting eye. How amusing.”

‘Who are you? Are you… a god?’

“No, just a ghost of the past. I won’t waste any more words. Place your hand on what’s in front of you and offer your trait. Then I shall bestow my grace upon you.”

Damn it. Suddenly asking me to offer my trait.

If I don’t find a way to resolve this situation, we’ll all be stuck here. But…

‘Can I choose any trait to offer? Is it okay for me to choose?’

He broke out in a cold sweat. What if it’s random? For a moment, his vision went dark.

“Yes. Simply offer something as a gesture of your sincerity. Meeting you is a fate in itself, so I won’t ask for an equivalent exchange of all your original traits and a massive lifespan.”

So, not only did the chest freeze anyone who touched it, but also…

If someone other than me had touched the chest after solving that, they would have to pay such an absurd price just to open the chest, get something from it, and leave this place.

This is like a crazy highway robbery.

‘…How do I offer my trait after placing my hand on it?’

“Just strongly wish to offer it to me.”

He opened his status window and looked at his traits.

─────

[Ahren]

[Strength: D] [Agility: C-] [Endurance: D]
[Stamina: D+] [Magic: EX] [Luck: D]

[Traits] (Collapse)

Chaos’ Eye
Dragon’s Heart
Weak Authority
One Language
Shabby Concealment
Strong Body – Dragonian
Electric Blue Lightning
Super Rookie
Ibelin Style – Sword of Destruction
Accumulated Killing Intent
Whisper of the Wind
Proof of Subjugation – First Subjugator
Kiss of the Breeze
One-Point Focus
Imprint of Magical Engraving

─────

Yes, this is perfect.

I’ve never had the chance to use it since I acquired it.

I’ve been wondering if this trash trait would ever be useful.

Anyway, it seems like your time to shine has finally come.

Farewell, ‘Shabby Concealment’.

Ignoring the worried looks from the girls, he placed his hand on the chest and strongly wished.

‘I offer it!’

Woosh.

“Kup.”

He felt something being pulled out from within him.

[Trait Shabby Concealment is deleted.]

“What a lowly trait. …Hmm, yes. It doesn’t matter what you offer. Consider it an honor. The inheritor of this power, though humble at the start, will end in grandeur.”

Click.

The treasure chest, which seemed impossible to open, slowly began to open.

Indeed. What will this boastful person give me?

A white chill spread as the interior of the chest was revealed.

Inside was…